Outlook: Stanford is a class act, a team that plays
hard, contests shots, is well coached and has tremendous offensive balance.
It's not a particularly athletic team, outside of Pac-10 Player of the Year
Childress. The Cardinal, who won their first 26 games before losing to Washington
in the last regular-season game, isn't likely to steamroll its way to the Final
Four. But it might get there nonetheless.

Style points: Stanford has the ability to play fast
or slow. It can win on the perimeter, and it can win inside, where it has a
lot of depth if not a superior post-up man. It's a surprisingly gritty squad
that will get after you defensively and oozes leadership.

Outlook: The Huskies haven't played as consistently
as some thought they would but remain among the favorites. They're one the deepest
teams in the country and have two of the best players in the nation in Okafor
and Gordon. Villanueva, one of the nation's top reserves, hurt his ankle in
the Big East tourney and did not play in the finals. Connecticut's fate still
lies with Okafor and his tender back.

Style points: There aren't many places toget
at UConn. They have depth. They shootover 40% from the three-point line
and average nearly nine blocks a game. But the Huskies' poor free throw shooting
(61%) could cause them to lose a tight game. Teams look to foul Okafor because
he only shoots 51% from the charity stripe.

Outlook: Talent, experience and offensive efficiency
have been the Wolfpack's hallmarks. Hodge has blossomed into the player the
Pack envisioned when they signed the highly touted recruit three years ago.
Melvin is tough inside, and Evtimov's return from last season's knee injury
has been a real plus. Sherrill (ankle) and Collins (knee) have been hurt lately,
however. They could be ready to make a serious postseason statement.

Style points: Their Princeton-style offense, with
precision passing, cutting and screening, can be difficult to defend for a team
not used to it. Get ready to defend the perimeter  the Pack shot an average
of 24.3 three-pointers a game, making 33.5%. And don't foul them. This was the
nation's best free throw shooting team (79.7%). But State is small, and offensive
rebounding can be problematic.

Outlook: The Terrapins were squarely on the tournament
bubble but came through late in the season to earn their 11th consecutive NCAA
appearance  the best current streak for an ACC team  and were helped
by playing one of the nation's toughest schedules. The young team, which had
been inconsistent, played like seasoned veterans in ACC tournament run. Williams'
coaching experience is a plus.

Style points: The Terps had relied on their defense
before offense really perked up in the ACC tournament. They were at or near
the bottom in the ACC's shooting categories, including free throw shooting (60.8%),
but held opponents to 39.4% from the field, second best in the league.

Outlook: Nobody wants to face Syracuse in March
because of their history of playing better in the postseason than the regular
season. They've shown they can beat the top teams in the country but also have
not played to their ability at times. They'll certainly continue to miss Billy
Edelin, who was averaging 13.8 points a game before he was sidelined indefinitely
for personal reasons.

Style points: Syracuse is not deep. If McNamara
and Warrick can get hot for six games like last year, the Orangemen might have
a chance. Of course, it will be a little more difficult without Carmelo Anthony.
Forth has improved throughout the season, but teams with dominant inside players
will exploit his inability to react quickly. If McNamara is shooting poorly,
the Orangemen are in trouble.

Outlook: Vandy's upset of Mississippi State in the
SEC tournament should give the Commodores' tournament confidence a boost. Freije
can carry a team, and Przybyszewski's size can disrupt anyone's inside game.
Eight Vanderbilt players average at least 17 minutes, and the Commodore's shoot
72% at the foul line. But Vanderbilt's backcourt is rarely a scoring threat.

Style points: Neither Vandy guard shoots 40% from
the field, and no one on the roster has tournament experience. Advancing past
the first weekend would be a bonus.

Outlook: DePaul prefers to play a halfcourt game
but can run if necessary. Balance is the Blue Demons' strong suit as five players
have led in scoring. Holland and Diener are clutch performers, and the team
can shoot with anyone (47% FG, 37% on three-pointers). The Demons, who won six
in a row and 11 of 12 before losing in the conference final, have the balance
to reach the second round.

Style points: DePaul lost its cool in the C-USA
final, drawing two technicals and an ejection. If the Blue Demons can't regain
their composure, making the second round will be tough.

Outlook: Has playing the nation's toughest schedule
left the Crimson Tide primed or pooped for the NCAAs? Alabama weathered a five-game
losing streak by winning five of six before a semifinal SEC tourney loss to
Florida. Pettway is creative at the point, and the Tide shoot 45% from the field
and 70% from the line. Alabama is athletic and will be a tough draw as a middle
seed.

Style points: Alabama was 0-3 in overtime and is
an average rebounding team. Teams that can pound the ball inside could be a
problem.

Outlook: In preseason polls, the Salukis were picked
to finish fifth in the conference. Coming off a near-perfect season, Southern
Illinois could be this year's Cinderella team and will be rested and ready after
being upset in the conference semifinals by Southwest Missouri State.

Style points: The Salukis play a fast game, with
a ball-hungry defense, but if they get off to a bad start, they struggle to
find a rhythm. And free throws can hurt them. They average 68%, just fifth in
the league. Comebacks against a good team might be difficult. They are eighth
in league three-point shooting at 32.9%.

Outlook: Jones and Marshall are the conference's
backcourt of the future. Both can defend, score and distribute, giving Gregory
plenty of options. Marshall made the A-10's all-second team. Waleskowski, a
first-team performer with a great work ethic, is a lock for the NBA. Finn is
a throwback post player with long arms, allowing him to plug the middle.

Style points: Three-point accuracy (34%) is a concern,
and Waleskowski and Finn are the only large bodies. The Flyers are tough on
the boards, outrebounding opponents by eight a game.

Outlook: Though fairly consistent all season, the
Broncos haven't received much attention outside their league. The Broncos overachieved
within the conference as well; Williams was named player of the year after not
appearing in preseason all-conference projections. History shows MAC teams shouldn't
be taken lightly. WMU's résumé does include victories vs. Southern California
and Arizona State  wins that lost some luster when those squads finished
eighth and 10th, respectively, in the Pac-10.

Style points: Western Michigan is a fast-break team
that relies on its press to produce turnovers. If the Broncos encounter a deliberate
offense that negates the transition game, they must control the boards.

Outlook: The Cougars finished the regular season
with an eight-game winning streak. However, they are a .500 (7-7) team away
from home. They are led by Araujo, who was named to the all-Mountain West first
team. The 280-pound Brazilian is a dominant force inside the paint.

Style points: The Cougars play man-to-man defense
for the most part. They will switch to zone on occasion, depending on the matchup.
On offense, Hall and Lemes lead the fast break.

Outlook: Although UTEP lost to Nevada in the WAC
title game, this season was an unqualified success after the Miners went 6-24
a year ago. Rivera might play for Puerto Rico in this summer's Olympics in Athens.
The Miners' best win outside the league came against Rutgers, which has faded
down the stretch.

Style points: UTEP finished the regular season among
the national leaders in every shooting category. Gillispie likes to coach an
up-tempo game, but the Miners are at full speed only when Rivera is in the lineup.

Outlook: The Ragin' Cajuns could be classified as
one of those undervalued mid-major teams. Lafayette, the highest-scoring team
in its conference, are ninth in the nation in three-point shooting percentage
and three-pointers a game and 15th in field goal percentage. But their defense
can't be discounted, because it earned them the conference championship over
New Orleans.

Style points: Lafayette likes to play a fast-paced
game, leading most of its games at the half, even the ones it lost. They are
seventh in league scoring defense. Playing man-to-man, they are quick to jump
on an unprotected ball. The Ragin' Cajuns, though, have struggled to score under
high-pressure defense. Turnovers also can get in their way at key times, even
though they lead the league in turnover margin.

Nickname: Catamounts.Bid: America East champ.Location: Burlington.Enrollment: 7,400.Record: 22-8, 15-3.NCAA history: 0-1 in one appearance. Last: 2003, lost to Arizona
in first round.Coach: Tom Brennan, 291-343 in 23 years.

Outlook: Coppenrath returned after missing seven
games with a broken left wrist to score 43 in the conference final. He's a legitimate
big-time player and, with Sorrentine at point guard, gives the Catamounts a
veteran inside-outside game. But UVM's role players must take their games to
a higher level, and the short bench must contribute more if Vermont has any
chance to survive the opening game.

Style points: The Catamounts have last year's tournament
experience to work from, and the Coppenrath-Sorrentine tandem will be a handful.
But Vermont is vulnerable to simply being overwhelmed by athletic teams and
those with low-post power.

Outlook: The host school for the Final Four certainly
has a daunting climb ahead if it wants to be the first team based at home to
go to a Final Four since UCLA did it in 1972. They are riding the crest of a
late-season surge that saw them win seven games in a row and 10 of 11. That's
impressive for a team that began the season 5-7.

Style points: A solid perimeter team that ranked
second in Southland in three-point percentage (36.7%). Posey, an acclaimed football
player in high school, provides a clutch jolt off the bench. A lot revolves
around Hurd, a transfer from Miami (Fla.) who was conference regular-season
and tournament MVP.